Vol 5: Chapter 13
The answer I chose was…
「Yes. I am Reiji from Silver Balance and also the person who was sucked into the Red Gate.」
To admit it.
The referee seed a little surprised that I didn’t hesitate much.
「You might not know about this, Reiji-dono, but Silver Balance is currently being pursued by the Lev Magic Empire.」
「I am aware that they are being pursued, and I also know one more thing.」
「And what’s that?」
「That Silver Balance is completely innocent.」
「————」
Perhaps the referee didn’t expect to hear that, as his eyes widened in response.
「…Ku, KuKu.」
After a while, he started laughing as if he couldn’t contain it anymore.
「Kukuku… Kukuku….」
「Referee-sama…?」
Wilhelm called out timidly.
The referee turned towards him and opened his right palm.
「You guys, step outside. No. Wilhelm, you stay.」
「However……」
「This is an order.」
The rest of the knights said “Yes, sir”, saluted, and left the tent, leaving Wilhelm behind.
「I am sorry, Reiji-dono.」
「What are you apologizing for?」
「I was not trying to test you, Reiji-dono. The knights remained here because they were worried about . I was never trying to put pressure on you.」
「…Did you find harmless?」
「Far from harmless!」
The referee slamd his knee and said loudly.
「You didn’t lie about your affiliation, and your faith in your friends from the bottom of your heart! That’s exactly what chivalry should be. I am moved to have t such a wonderful man in a long while.」
「…I-I see.」
「I promise to take you to Earl Sillys. That was my intention from the beginning, though. It will take an hour or two before the ssenger returns, so it’s a good idea for you to rest up for a while.」
I responded with silence. The reason is because we ended up in a fight at our first encounter, and then I was brought to their tent for an interrogation-like dialogue. There is no way I can sleep in such a place.
「I actually wanted to ask even more of what happened from you. Questions of how you ca back from Red Gate and such. The reason I am not asking about it is out of concern for you. I can guarantee your safety, Reiji-dono. Can you truly fight to the best of your ability with a body which lacks sleep?」
Considering the interests of the Saint Knight Kingdom, they probably only want information from at the mont. And the referee telling to rest before questioning further is probably actually out of concern for .
「…I will take up that offer, then.」I said.
「Wilhelm, guide Reiji-dono.」
「Yes, sir.」
Wilhelm took to a nearby tent. It had only one clean bedding and there weren’t a lot of people in the surroundings.
Wilhelm bowed silently and left. As soon as I sat down on the bed, my body just plopped back onto the bed. Before I realized, I was already sleeping.
**
「…Doesn’t it look strange, after all?」I asked.
「There are also young boys who beco knights, so it’s not strange.」
「But I can’t imagine myself as a knight…」
「Reiji-dono, don’t tell an esteed man such as yourself is feeling doubts after coming this far?」the neutral handso, Wilhelm, said sarcastically.
We were directly under Queen of the Night at the mont. And without being ard.
Wilhelm woke up while I was sleeping, and relayed that they were able to contact Earl Sillys. However, the eting with the Earl was strictly “as part of the diplomacy of Saint Knight Kingdom”. Therefore, I had to play the part of a knight who was accompanying Wilhelm to the eting.
In other words, I had to wear the uniform of the knights of Saint Knight Kingdom.
But I am not used to wearing uniforms… And I just can’t seem to rest easy while wearing a knight’s uniform.
「Wilhelm-sama, the other party has arrived.」the bearded knight, who was called Johann, said.
Wilhelm turned away from and faced forward. His cheek, which was swollen after being punched by the referee, had already healed. He probably managed it with healing magic.
Wilhelm is apparently a distant relative of the royal family of the Saint Knight Kingdom.
However, in the Knight Kingdom where ritocracy is firmly established, skill is valued over bloodlines. So he is not treated in any special manner.
However, when acting as a “representative of diplomacy”, that “bloodline” cos into play.
「Knights of Saint Knight Kingdom, this way please.」
A high-ranking Lev official ca down a long staircase installed to the airship, and guided us.
Originally, it would have been impossible for people from foreign countries to enter the Empire’s most treasured engineering, Queen of the Night. But now that they are relying on the troops from Kruvan Holy Kingdom, Saint Knight Kingdom, and the Keith Gran Federation, they can’t bar entry anymore.
Without being asked or checked to see if we had disard—because if we were to attack, we already would have—with Wilhelm in the lead, we climbed up the long stairs to reach the deck.
After entering the ship, we were guided to the front of a room through a narrow corridor.
「We have arrived. I shall wait here. Please call if there is anything you need.」
「Thank you.」
Wilhelm nodded, and Johann stepped forward and opened the door.
It was quite an unexpectedly spacious eting room. Wilhelm walked into the room, followed by the attendants. When I entered last and closed the door, I sensed the isolation of sound from outside.
Only two people were in the room.
At the end of a long table, there was a handso noble.
And the person next to him was Sebas-san, the chief butler.
(Oh… they haven’t changed at all.)
It’s only been about 2 months.
About two months ago, I was still living with those people.
Life at the Earl’s residence felt like a lifeti ago after all the fierce battles that followed in a row with the “Labyrinth of 9 Emotions”, Red Gate, and the “Back World”.
「I am honored to et you, Your Excellency Wilhelm. My na is Victor Sillys and I am an Earl of Kruvan Holy Kingdom.」
「I apologize for the sudden application for a eting.」
「No, you are welco to at any ti.」
The Earl said, brimming with a full smile. …I have kind of missed that smile with hidden anings.
「Earl, it is actually not I who called for this eting.」
「…aning?」
「Do you rember him?」
As Wilhelm pointed at , for the first ti, the Earl and the chief butler’s eyes turned to .
And their eyes widened in response.
「We et again… Earl.」
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